US arms sale to Bahrain raises questions about sustainability
The $3.8 billion sale of jets and patrol boats dwarfs the tiny emirate’s annual defense budget.
The State Department’s approval of a $3.8 billon weapons sale to Bahrain is raising questions about the sustainability of a surge in US military deals with the Gulf.
Announced on Friday, the deal includes the sale of 19 upgraded F-16V fighter jets, 35 fast patrol boats and more than 200 anti-tank missiles. The sales had been held up by the Barack Obama administration due to human rights concerns.
A US official said the deal would help Bahrain’s armed forces better integrate with American forces, including the 5th Fleet out of Manama, which is home to two aircraft carriers, 20 smaller ships and as many as 20,000 sailors. Bahrain is a major non-NATO ally, meaning that the US government gives it preference for approving arms sales and other military assistance.
Bahrain's air force has also flown bombing missions in Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-backed military campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and also provides assistance to Saudi Arabia’s fight in Yemen. The Trump administration first announced plans to approve the F-16 deal in March.
